warfel



(No Moilel.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. i G. M; WARFEL.

STREET SWEEPER.

No. 461,556. Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

WITNESSES 1/11! ATTORNEY.

(No Modeti) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. M. WARFEL.

STREET SWEEPER.

No. 461,556. Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

(2 HM I IT e ljII ' llll 1.

l VITNESSES: IN VENT OR H ATTORNEY NITED STATES GEORGE M. \VARFEL, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY M. ZIMMERMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

S TREET-SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,556, dated October 20, 1891.

Application filed January 17, 1891. Serial No. 378,085. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. WARFEL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Sweepers,of which the following is a specification, reference bein g had therein to the accompanying d rawings.

My invention relates to certain new and I0 useful improvements in street-sweepers, the

peculiarities of which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which like reference-letters indicate correspondingparts, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my machine with the upper casing removed; Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line an 0c of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a side elevation of the same with the wheel removed.

The letter A designates a rectangular frame strongly braced and mounted on the carryingwheels B, and provided with thills C or other means of giving motion to the same. Upon each carrying-wheel is mounted a gear-wheel D, preferably consisting of therim only, and suitably secured to said wheel. Meshing with each gear-wheel is a gear-pinion E, mounted on the brush-shaft F, supporting the brushdrum G, carrying the brushes thereon: The shaft F is adjustably carried in a hangerbearing H, secured by a pivot I to the frame of the machine and movable in an arc about the said pivot as a center to throw the pinions E into and out of engagement with their respective gear-wheels. The hanger-bearing H is provided with an arm, to whichis socured a rod J by a pivot or otherwise, and at the other end of which is pivoted a lever K,

o mounted on a fulcrum-bolt L on a portion of said frame A.

The drivers seat M, supported on the posts 0, secured to the frame A, serves as a convenient guide for the lever K, which is fixed in its adjusted position by the pins or projections P or otherwise. By adjusting this lever K the brush-shaft is rotated or remains at rest, according to the meshing or unmeshing of the pinions E with said gears D when in motion. In Fig. 2 the hanger-bracket is shown pivoted on the bolt I through the middle hole,

dle K.

The pinion and wheel are meshed in Fig. 3, and are unmeshed by operating the handle from the dotted to the full lines shown in Fig. 2. cent to said seat M.

A platform 3' is provided adja- To compensate for the wear of the brushes and thereby the shortening of the same, or to cause the brushes to sweep more or less closely to the pavement, the said hanger is preferably adjustable vertically at different heights from the pavement by the holes h therein, Fig. 2, in which the pivot-bolt I maybe inserted, as desired.

bruslrshaft is thus rotatably and adjustably supported at each end, and may be driven from one or both ends thereof.

It will be seen that the brush-shaft rotates, so as to sweep the dirt forward. form.

This is the preferred Mounted on the front end of the frame is a dirt pan or receptacle Q, preferably pivoted on across-rod R and of a semicircular or other convenient form.

This pan is adapted to discharge the dirt thro n into the same by the revolving brushes by oscillating it forward about the supportingrod Ras acenter,asindicated in broken lines in Fig.2.

This is done by means of an arm S, forming an extension from the said pan, to which is secured a rod T, leading back to a lever U, pivoted to said frame A conveniently adjacent to the drivers seat M before mentioned. A stop W or other projection on said seat preserves the normal position of said lever, from which it is disengaged to dump the dirt by throw ing the lever backward. Before the dirt is dumped the lever K is operated by hand to stop the rotation of the brushes and thus prevent the scattering of the dirt as the machine passes over the same.

It will be seen that the carrying-wheels B are located substantially in the center of the frame, and the frame is preferably nearly balanced on the wheel-shaft by the weight of the driver when on the forward end of his seat.

\Vhen the dirt is dumped and the brushes stopped in their rotation, a slight change of position backward by the driver will cause the front end of the machine to rise and to lift the brushes over the dirt deposited in front of them. The very act of throwing the lever U to its dotted position in Fig. 2 will facilitate this change of position on his part, and the brushes will thus be lifted out of contact with the pile of dirt. The brush-shafts maybe thrown out of engagement at any time desired, and thus save the wear of the brushes when not required.

It will be seen that the brush-shaft may be thrown out of operation independently of the dumping mechanism. It is not necessary to dump the dirt, therefore, when it is desired to stop the brushes, as is the case in some machines of this character; also, the brushes can continue their rotation and the machine be tilted to raise them over the dumped dirt on account of the balanced frame before mentioned. l

The front end of the machine is provided with side boards A, having on their forward ends rollers a to support the forward end of the frame in its contact with the ground as the dirt accumulates in the dirt-pan Q. In order to facilitate the entrance of the dirt to said pan, an adjustable brush-board b is inclined, as shown in Fig. 2, and pivoted at its upper edge on a cross-rod c, mounted in the side boards A. The lower and rear edge of said board will-be in close proximity to the ground and to the revoluble brush es which will throw the dirt up the said inclined board into the dirt-pan. The board is adjustable in regard to its inclination by pins (I, inserted in the holes (1 at different heights from the ground. It is thus carried in close proximity to the same, and yet will present no obstacle to stones or inequalities of the ground, since'it will be lifted at its lower rear edge by contact with the same and pass safely over the obstruction.

The rear ends of the side boards A are connected by a cross-wall e ofsheet metal or other material, and the casing f fits above the revoluble brushes and dirt-pan to prevent the exit of dust from the same. Thus the working parts are wholly inclosed and dust kept from flying about by the action of the brushes.

It will be seen that by use of a transverse brush-shaft the shortest length of shaft for the width of path swept is secured. This is not. the case with bias brush-shafts, which require a proportionately longer shaft and thereby greater number of brushes according to the more or less inclination of the shaft to the direction of movement of the machine. It will also be seen that the wear of the brushes can be taken up by means of the adjustable hanger before described, and the life of the machine thereby lengthened. Also the practical balance of the machine upon its carrying-wheels B gives an easy draft to the machine and facilitates the turning of the same. This simplicity of construction and easy operation are important advantages that it possesses over other machines for similar purposes.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a s reet-sweeper, the combination, with the main frame, the supportirig-wheels, a lever pivoted to the frame in the rear of the wheels, and a platform or space for the operator adapted to enable him to approach the axle intaking hold of said lever and to recede or throw hisweight from the axle in manipulating the lever backward, of a pivoted dirt-receptacle suspended from the frame forward of the axle, and a connecting-barbetween said lever and an arm extending from said receptacle, and .a brush receiving motion from the wheels and hung forward of the axle, whereby the operator may tilt the frame in the act of throwing the lever backward, so as to elevate the brush over the deposit of dirt. In testimony whereof I a'liix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE M. \VARFEL. Witnesses:

' II. M. PLAISTED, W ARREN HULL. 

